Auxiliary reservoir bleeder



Dec. 12, 1944, H. A. DE VACK ET AL AUXILIARY RESERVOIR BLEEDER Filed May 27, 1942 IIarrq A I EW E BY Orvall T Evans a Patented Dec. 12, 1944 2,364,606 AUXILIARY RESERVOIR BLEEDER Harry, A. De Vac-k, San Jose, and Orvall T. Evans, Santa Clara, Calif.

Application May 27, 1942, Serial No. 444,654 3 Claims. ('Cl. 303470) The present invention relates particularly to means accessible in an engine cab for simultaneously bleeding the auxiliary air reservoir on a train of cars preparatory to breaking the train up 'into individual cars or multiples thereof whereby the brakes will be freed on all the disconnected cars for free movement thereof to various locations eliminating the post practice of manually opening valves n the individual cars to release the brakes thereon.

It is well known to those familiar with the art that in the Westinghouse air brake system a brake cylinder and air reservoir are mounted on each car, the reservoir and brak cylinder being connected to a pipe line that is continuous throughout the length of the train through the medium of a triple valve and connecting instrumentalities. The engineer applies the brakes by releasing the air pressure in the train pipe line thereby causing the valves on the various cars to shift and permitting the air stored beneath each car to enter the cylinders and thus apply the brakes. But when the train is stopped and it is desired to break the train up into individual cars or groups thereof it is necessary for brakemen to manually open a valve on each auxiliary reservoir to permit the air to escape therefrom and release the brakes. When this operation is required on a long freight train,

say of a hundred cars or more, a great deal of time is consumed, perhaps upwards of an hour or more.

It is, therefore, the object of our invention to provide means whereby the air may be discharged from, or released from, the auxiliary reservoirs on all of the cars forming the train simultaneously by the engineer, thereby saving a great deal of timeand releasing the brakemen to other duties.

It is also an object of the invention to provide means of the character indicated that may be adapted for use with the standard train equipment, and that can be installed with but little change in that equipment.

It is also an object of the invention to provide means of the character indicated that may be quickly and easily installed, that will be simple in form and construction, and highly eificient in its practical application.

In the drawing:

Figure l is a diagrammatic view of the installation, partly in section, the view showing the braking means for a single car and control means common to a train of cars.

Figure 2 is a. reduced elevation of the rotatable portion ure 1.

Figure 3 is a sectional view showing a different position of the valve shown in section in Figof the valve shown in section in Figure 1.

Referring now more particularly to the drawing, I indicates a portion of the brake cylinder, 2 the auxiliary reservoir,'3 the triple valve, 4 the pipe leading to the pressure retaining valve, not shown, 5 the centrifugal dirt collector, and 6 the pipe connecting the triple valve with the train line pipe I. The auxiliary air reservoir is ordinarily fitted with a variable release valve but in the present instance this valve is not shown but the tapped opening to which it is applied is fitted with a plug 8.

In effecting our invention we provide a pressure responsive valve as 9 in which is placed a snugly fitting sliding piston head or member ll]. Adjacent one end of the cylinder 9 is formed a port H, and this port is connected with a port l2 in the reservoir 2 by a pipe l3. In this same end of the cylinder 9 is formed an exhaust port l4. By moving the member In into the position shown the port I I is closed and no air can escape from the reservoir 2, but when the member ID is moved into the other end of the cylinder air may readily flow from the reservoir through ports II and M.

In the opposite end of cylinder 9 is formed a port [5, and this port is connected with the train line pipe I by a pipe l6. By reducing the air in the train brake pipe 1 to a point where sufficient suction is created through the pipe t6 the member ill will be m ved to the opposite end of the cylinder 9 by atmospheric pressure to permit the escape of air from the reservoir 2, and this reduction of air pressure in the train brake pipe may be accomplished in the following manner, hereinafter described.

The air compressor in the engine of the train is indicated in part at H, with a portion of the piston at 18 and a port at 19 communicating with the train brake pipe I. Inserted in the pipe 1 is a three-way'cock 2|, in which the shell has two ports 22 and 23 diametrically opposite each other and laterally spaced ports equidistant therefrom as 24 and 25. The rotatable member of the cock at 26has a passage 21 formed therethrough to align with ports 2223, and has a. flap-valve 28 positioned therein so that on its compression stroke the piston 18 will force air therethrough and through pipes l and I5 into cylinder 9 and force the memb r l0 into the position shown where no air is permitted to escape from the reservoir 2.

The member 26 has a second passage 30 formed therethrough in angular relation to passage 21 and disposed to align or register with ports 22-43 when the member is turned the correct distance. The passage 30 has a flap-valve 29 positioned therein to operate in the opposite direction to flap-valve 28, with the result that when the passage is placed in registration withports 2223 operation of the piston [8 will on its suction stroke draw the air out of the cylinder 9, creating a partial vacuum therein that will pull the member it away from ports H and I4 and permit air to flow from the reservoir to the atmosphere. On its compression stroke the piston I8 will force the air drawn into pipe I out through flap-valve 28 to the atmosphere, valve 28 at that time communicating with port 24.

When the member 26 is in the position shown in Figure 1 the air is drawn in from the atmosphere through port 25 and valve 29, and forced into the cylinder through valve 28 and pipe I; when the member 26 is in the position shown in Figure 3, the air is sucked out of the cylinder 9 through pipe I and valve 29 and discharged into the atmosphere through valve 28 and port 24.

While the foregoing describes the operation of the valve 2| as a means of operating the control valve, made up of the cylinder and piston 9 and Hi, from a remote point, for connecting the compressor inlet to the train pipe 1 or merely connecting the compressor inlet to atmosphere and isolating the train pipe, again it should be understood that the usual engineers valve in the engine cab would of course be operated to first move the engineers brake valve to application to vent the train pipe and then to lap position to close the pipe to atmosphere.

From the foregoing disclosure it will be apparent that the air compressor [1 is the usual engine compressor and that by the usual engineers control valve, the brakes are operated through the triple valves 3 by increase or reduction of'pressure in the train feed line which is always substantially above atmospheric pressure, in normal operation.

The structure diagrammatically illustrated in Fig. 1 is the well known Westinghouse air brake system and the present invention relates to the valve mechanism 9 to IS on each car and the supplemental valve mechanism 2| to 30 located in an engine cab for reducing the air pressure in the air line 1 below atmosphere through actuation of the compressor H for simultaneously moving the pistons 10 into a position 'to bleed the auxiliary reservoirs 2 preparatory to disconnection of the engine from the train. The valve mechanism 2| to 30 in the position illustrated in Fig. 1 permits the compressor to function in the normal way.

Although but one specific embodiment of the invention has been herein illustrated and described, it will be understood that various alteration in the details of construction may be made without departing from the scope of the invention as indicated in the appended claims.

We claim:

1. In an air-brake system for railway trains comprising a train brake pipe, car supported braking means in communication with the brake pipe including a triple valve, auxiliary reservoir and brake cylinder, and engine supported means including an air compressor for communication with the train brake pipe; the improvement which comprises a vent for the auxiliary reservoir, a pressure responsive valve in communication with" said brake :pipe and atmosphere operative to maintain said vent closed through pressure in the brake pipe by said compressor, and engine supported valve means operative to reduce the pressure in said brake pipe below atmospheric. through operation of said compressor for effecting movement of said pressure responsive valve to open said vent.

2. The improvement according to claim 1 wherein said pressure responsive valve includes a piston slidably mounted in a cylinder in communication at one end thereof with said brake pipe, a port at the other end of the cylinder opening to atmosphere and provided with a second port adjacent said last end of the cylinder and vent, the piston normally closing both of said ports.

3. The improvement according to claim 1, wherein said engine supported valve comprises a cylindrical shell having diametrically opposed ports communicating with said train brake pipe, said shell having a further pair of ports in angular relation to said first ports, a manually rotatable member withinthe shell having diametrical intersecting passageways, the rotatable memher being provided with an outlet valve at the end of one passageway and an inlet valve at the end of the other passageway, and the first and second named ports and said passageways being so angularly disposed that when the passageway having the outlet valve is alined with said first ports, the inlet valve end of the other passageway is alined with one of said second ports and the other end thereof closed by the shell for drawing air through said one of said second ports and forcing same by said compressor through said outlet valve into said train brake pipe, and when upon rotation of the rotatable member the passageway provided with the inlet valve is alined with said first ports, the end of the passageway provided with the outlet valve is alined with the other of said second ports and the opposite end closedby said shell for drawing air from said train brake pipe and forcing same to atmosphere by said compressor.

HARRY A. DE VACK. 'ORVALL T. EVANS. 

